Acetylene-gas generator.



N o, 658,8!9. I Patented Oct. '2, I900. T. F. WILLIAMS. ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(No Model.)

THE Noam: PiTEflS cm. woro umnq wasnmamu, u. c.

IlN-rr D STATES PATENT @FFICE.

THOMAS F. WILLIAMS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO EDWARD L. WILLIAMS, OF GILLHAM, ARKANSAS.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 658.819. dated October 2, 1900. Application filed May 11,1399. seria1No.'716,370- (No model.)

T all whOm it may 007b0@7"7?/-' perforations 14. may be provided to permit Be it known that I, THOMAS F. WILLIAMS, the inclosed air to escape from below the botof Chicago, in the county of (look and State tom as the vessel is being immersed in the 55 of Illinois, haveinven ted certain new and usewater. The wall of the vessell is perforated ful Improvements in Acetylene-Gas Generato admit water in regulated quantities to the tors, of which the following is a specification. 'interior of the carbid-chamber. The provi- This invention relates to an improvement sions for admitting water, as shown, are a sein acetylene-gas generators and is adapted ries of minute perforations 18, formed within 60 particularly for generating a limited amount the bottom ofcircumferentialgrooves or chanof acetylene gas, such as is adequate to supnels 19, formed in such wall and at graduated ply a portable house-lamp, although some of distances from the top thereof. These aperthe principles of my invention maybe emt-ures may be uncovered; but I preferably ployed in other forms of lamp and also in genplacetherein cotton-wicking20,which will not 65 crat-ors for supplying a number of lamps. only serve as a strainer for the water enter- The principal object of my invention is to ing the carbid-chamber, but will also fracmake a simple and convenient form of gentionate the water and deliver it in minute erator and one in which the pressure of the particles to the apertures, which are of themgas is made to automatically control the supselves of such small size as to prevent the 70 ply of water which is furnished to the cal-bid, water entering in streams and cause it to enand thereby control the quantity of gas made ter in the form of minute drops or particles. proportionately to the quantity consumed or These apertu res are located, as shown in Fig. which it is desired to store. I '1, in parallel zones atvarying distances I have shown my invention as embodiedi above the carbid. Four series of apertures 75 a house-lamp. are shown in Fig. 1, and a' greater or less Figure 1 is a vertical sectional elevation, number may be provided, although I have the burner-tube and burners in elevation. found thatinalampof the proportionsshown I Figs. 2 and 3 are details showing amodified the locations indicated are best. The carbidconstruction. chamber may have its side Walls extended 80 In the drawings, let 5 represent a suitable down flush with the bottom of the vessel 10 3o ornate body having a bottom 6, which may and a simple catch, as shown at 21, applied be closed, and a cap 7, separable from the to sustain it in position. The outer vessel 10 body 5. The cap is surmounted by a globe is adjustably supported within the body 5 in ring or gallery 8 to hold the globe 9. any convenient manner, the means shown 85 10 represents a shell or vessel with. an open comprising a notched standard 22, adapted bottomvand a dome-shaped top 11, constitut- .to receive a pin 23, carried by the vessel 10.

ing agas-chamber, from the upper portion of In Fig. 2 I have shown the vessel 14 prowhich extends the burner-supply pipe 12, survided with a spiral groove having perforamounted by the burner-tips 13. Within the tions in its bottom and a single strand or 9-0 vessel 10 is placed the removable carbidpiece of wicking wound therein.

holder,consistingofaclosed vessel 14,suitably In Fig. 3 I have shown another modificasupported within the vessel 10 and with its tion, the wall of the vessel 14 being pierced wall sufliciently separated therefrom to prowith apertures at different elevations and a vide an-annular water-space. The upper end simple loop of wire 24, having one leg thereof 95 of the generating-chamber 14 is closed by repassed through the apertures and serving as movable cap 15, having perforations 16 for the a conductor for introducing the water in the escape of the gas, and above said cap cotton finely-subdivided condition to the interior of or other strainer material, as shown at 17, the carbid-chamber. may be placed. The bottom wall of the ves- In the operation of this generator water is [00 sel is marked I l and is shown as located at filled into the chamber of the outer shell 5,

a distance above the lower endof. the side preferably to the height indicated by the wawall, which latter extends to the lower end ter-line X, and the liquid fills the body of of the vessel 10. When so located, minute the chamber and rises in volume to the bottom wall of the carbid-chamber and also in a thin annular column between the vessels 10 and 14:, entering the carbid-chamber through more or less of the apertures, depending on the height of such annular column. Vheu the generator is charged, it may be raised to its highest point, as indicated by the dotted lines, showing a partial outline of the tube and burners and the upper part of the vessels 10 and ll. In such position the water-column between the vessels will reach only the lowermost of the apertures. As the generation of gas proceeds and begins to be consumed the generation will proceed somewhat evenly and regularly, becoming, however, more rapid as the residue or ash of the carbid forms a saturated body, affording an excess of moisture over that originally ad mitted through the perforations and producing an excess quantity of gas over that consumed at the burners. Such excess supply of gas will exert a pressure upon the upper surface of the annular .vater-column between the vessels l0 and 1st, tending to drive the water down, and thus-preveu ting its flow to so great an extent into the earbid-chamber. If for any reason the apertures should become clogged or a greater quantity of gas consumed, the pressure will be released, the column of water will rise, and a greater quantity of water will be discharged in the carbid vessel. Thus the supply of water is automatically regulated in proportion to the amount of gas required or produced. It by the consumption of the water or if the requirements for gas be increased, a greater quantity may be produced by lowering the generator bodily, thus increasing the height of the annular column and immersing a larger number of the wateufeed openings. The generator is not only automatic in predetermined positions, but is of variable gas-producing capacity, depending upon the positions in which the generator may be placed at the will of the user.

The earbid may be charged loosely into the vessel 14 and the ash readily removed therefrom by taking off the cap 15, or, if preferred, the carbid may be placed in a suitable cartridge, as indicated by the dotted lines 26, such cartridge being of a pervious nature or having a perforable end. If placed within a cartridge, the ash is prevented from clogging up the water-inlet openings. It will be observed that the gas and the carbid are entirely surrounded by water, and the exterior body of the lamp is thereby prevented from overheating.

Many variations in the design, proportion, and particular construction of the parts may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim 1. An acetylene-gas generator, comprising in combination, a chamber to contain a body of water, a generating-chamber adapted to contain carbid and arranged within the waterchamber and a vessel having its lower end open and inclosing the generating-chamber and providing therewith an annular waterspace surrounding the generatirig-chamber and having direct and unobstructed communication with the liquid-supply, the generating-chamber being provided in its upper portion with water-inlets at various elevations above the carbid-space, whereby the water is admitted to the upper surface of the carbid only and in quantity regulated by the gas pressure, substantially as described.

In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination with a liquid-chamber, a carbidchamber and a vessel inclosing the carbidchamber and providing therewith an annular water-space s u rrounding the carbid-cham ber, the latter being provided with water-inlet openings accessible to water within said aunular space, and the generating-chainber and its iuclosing vessel being bodily movable and adjustable to various positions, and means for sustaining the said chamber and vessel in their adjusted positions, substantially as described.

3. An acetylene-gas generator and burner embodied in a lamp having a hollow body adapted to contain a liquid, a vesselsupported within said body in position to be submerged by its liquid contents, said vessel having its lower end open and unobstructed and its upper end closed to provide a gas-chamber, a pipe extending from the gas-chamber upwardly through the liquid-chamber and provided with a burner and an interior vessel providing a generating-chamber surrounded by the gas-holder and providing therewith an annular space around the generator, open to the liquid-supply, said generating-chamber having a closed lower end and water-inlet openings and gas-escape openings in its upper portion above the carbid-space, said water-inlet openings being arranged at different elevations, substantially as described.

4. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination with a liquid-chamber and a generating-chamber, having perforations in its side wall at varying distances from its top or upper end, an open-ended vessel inclosing said generating-chamber and forming therewith an annular water-space, and means for adjusting said vessel and said chamber at various elevations within the body of water, substantially as described.

5. In an acetylene-gas gen erator,the hereindescribed means of supplying water to the carbid, comprising a carbid-containing vessel, having a head or channel in its wall provided with perforations at dilterent elevations, and an absorbent material in filament form wound within said channel over said perforations, substantially as described.

THOMAS F. WILLIAMS.

Witnesses:

E. O. BRICE, W. P. GRIFFITH. 

